World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14 every year. This year, the theme introduced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.” The average adult human is sustained by approximately five litres of blood. Any drastic reduction in this amount can severely affect the normal day-to-day functioning of the human body.
In the event of an accident or a life-threatening condition, blood transfusions become vital. And since blood is a life-sustaining mixture that cannot be efficiently and accessibly made artificially available, blood donations are immensely important. The discovery of human blood transfusion by James Blundell in 1818 made a ground-breaking impact in the field of surgery and medicine. Medical sciences today have come a long way in making this life-saving activity more accessible and easy.
Blood donation does not just benefit the receiver of the blood alone. Here are a few scientifically-backed health benefits of blood donation:
1. Lower risks of cardiovascular diseases:
In a study titled ,‘Lipid and haematologic profiling of regular blood donors revealed health benefits published in the Journal of Blood Medicine in 2022, data collected showed how regular blood donors had lower LDL-c (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) compared to first-time donors. LDL-c is also known as “bad” cholesterol as it causes plaque buildup in arteries which lead to cardiovascular diseases. Blood donation lowers LDL-c, which increases its oxidative potential. This reduces the chance of formation of oxides and hydroperoxides, plaques, and fatty strikes all of which are the major contributors to atherosclerosis and other complications. Regular blood donors were also recorded to have a higher level of HDL-c (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) which lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
2. Decreased risks of cancer
Swedish researcher Dr Gustaf Edgren, in a paper titled ‘Donation frequency, iron loss, and risk of cancer among blood donors', concluded that “no clear association was observed between the number of donations and risk of cancer overall” but instead noticed a trend where risks of cancers of the lung, liver, colon, stomach, and oesophagus saw a decreasing trend as these are thought to be promoted by iron overload. Thus donating blood is supposed to help maintain iron levels and also lowers risks of hemochromatosis. A 2022 study in the Journal of Oncology titled 'Association between Blood Donation and Malignant and Benign Tumour Risk', conducted among 3.4 million participants in China, stated that the overall risk of tumours decreased more substantially with age in blood donors compared with nonblood donors.
3. Free health checkup:
Before donating blood, an all-round health screening is a must. The centre where you go to donate blood will be responsible for the check-up. A trained medical staff will assist the donor with a free health assessment. Tests for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Malaria, HIV(AIDS), West Nile virus, Syphilis, etc. are done. The results will alert the donor of any potential health risks and make them aware of their current health status. The staff will also be checking the donors blood pressure levels, pulse, and haemoglobin.
Donating blood has also been proven to boost the mental health of donors. Also known as the “happiness effect” the sense of having done something good boosts dopamine production. Regular volunteering work such as blood donation reduces stress, increases positive emotions, and creates a sense of belonging as a person becomes part of a giving community. So, this World Blood Donors Day, why don't you visit your nearest blood drive to check if you can contribute to this life-saving and selfless cause as well?